Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis will look to continue the good form he’s shown in his past two starts on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels.
He could also help the Blue Jays win their four-game series. Toronto won the first two games to improve to 5-0 against the Angels this season.
Toronto won the opener, 5-4, on Friday on back-to-back homers by Joey Loperfido and Addison Berger off Roansy Contreras in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Blue Jays’ fourth walk-off win of the season.
Francis (6-3, 4.38 ERA), aiming to be included in the starting rotation next season, pitched well over seven innings in his second consecutive away start.
On August 12, Francis allowed one hit and one run over seven innings in a 4–2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. It was his first start against the Angels. The only hit Francis allowed was a home run by Mickey Moniak.
Francis’ next start was a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, limiting them to three hits. In his two wins, he struck out 15 batters and walked zero.
Francis struggled in his first two games of the season, making just one start on June 9th out of 13 relief appearances, before returning to the starting rotation on July 29th.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “What we asked of him at the beginning of the year was a tough thing to accomplish. Since spring training, he’s been hoping to be a starter, and it didn’t work out at first. And now he’s got his opportunity, he’s taken it and he’s done it.”
In his past five starts, he is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings.
Francis feels the difference as a starter.
“You can make the game slower if you want to, or you can make it faster if you want to,” Francis said. “When you go in as a relief pitcher, the tempo of the game is already set. Hitters approach the game differently. As a starter, you get to play a little more chess. Relief pitchers are more like checkers.”
The Angels are scheduled to start right-hander Carson Fulmer (0-4, 4.24 ERA), who is 0-1 with a 7.88 ERA in his two starts against Toronto.
Fulmer allowed five runs and five hits in three innings in a 6–1 loss at home to the Blue Jays on August 13. Fulmer was hit by home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Spencer Horowitz.
“The frustrating part for me is that I’m pretty hard on myself personally,” he said after the loss. “I just don’t think it’s acceptable for something like this to happen. We’re a tight-knit team. We come into each day ready to play. I’m not going to say (the Blue Jays) aren’t as good as other teams. This is major league baseball. Everybody’s here for a reason. You have to come into the game and come out ready to play. But it starts with me. I need to try to put more effort into my game.”
Toronto’s Dalton Varshaw went 2-for-4 on Friday night to reach base in his 21st consecutive game, the longest streak among active players in the American League. During that span, Varshaw is batting .282 (22-for-78) with two home runs and eight RBIs.
Moniak (elbow) did not play Friday but is expected to return Saturday.
Guerrero had Friday off.
The Angels optioned to sign right-hander Ryan Zefergian on Friday and designated right-hander Mike Bauman for assignment.
–Field Level Media
